blog.MuchMusic.com www.MuchMusic.com

Here’s the thing about the Black Eyed Peas: you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. The New Music Video team was pretty divided when I brought up BEP in our morning meeting today. Some call them sellouts. Some malign the group for taking classic songs and turning them into auto-tuned poppy mush. Some look back on the days when BEP was just three guys from different ethnic backgrounds rhyming about rice and peas. Valid points, but I say get over it. Yes, the group has shifted to make a hot sexualized figure the focal point of the group. Yes, the group uses product placements in their videos as much as Eminem uses the f-word. Yes, their choices for song samples are questionable.

But BEP make no apologies for who they are. And as far as selling out goes, the group has done it in the smartest way possible. Pre-Fergie, not many people had even heard of the Peas. To quote Kanye, “it’s not cool if no one hears your ‘ish.” And I’m sure will.i.am laughs all the way to the bank while his haters are waxing poetic on the moral obligations of artists in the current music climate.

As my fellow team member Manny pointed out, there aren’t many acts that turn down commercial opportunities these days (Phoenix, Feist, Drake). Maybe they get less flack because their advertising is just a little less blatant then BEP showing up on Oprah’s Favourite Things episode changing their lyrics to fit the occasion. Sure, the Peas could tone it down but why should they? Fergie and will.i.am do just as much for charities as they do for big corporations. will.i.am can also put out respectable music when he wants to – case in point, the Obama-inspired viral smash “Yes We Can.” And as for their own music, no one can argue that BEP hasn’t delivered some of the decade’s most danceable tunes. And as much as we bash them, they continue to deliver awesome music videos. Their new hit, “The Time” may be one of those questionable samples (R.I.P Patrick Swayze) but the video is straight up cool. Check out the clip below and make sure you check it out during our New Music Videos hour.

The Black Eyed Peas are the perfect group for a generation of ADD kids who just want to dance it out. They’re definitely not taking themselves too seriously so why are we? Just let go of the hate and embrace the Peas peeps.

- Kathleen

Tags: black eyed peas, playlist

Posted on Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 at 5:37 pm by Guest Blogger and is filed under Blog, Celebrities & Pop Culture.

Related Articles:

• Experience The Black Eyed Peas
• Black Eyed Peas looking for fan videos
• Win A Trip To Meet the Black Eyed Peas!
• Beyonce, Taylor, BEP to perform at Grammys
• Black Eyed Peas set record for 20 weeks on singles chart